Girdle



tlnited States Patent References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS l/l956 Pease...........................

{72} lnventor Vestall..Nobbs 3334 Hacienda Blvd., Hacienda Heights, California 91745 Appl. No. 755,126

12/1966 Nelkn.... 3,441,027 4/1969 Lehman.....

Primary Examiner-Adele M. Eager Attorney-Flam and Flam (2l I [22] Filed Aug. 26, 1968 [45 l Patented Dec. 8, 1970 [54] GIRDLE 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

ILS. Cl..4

ABSTRACT: The girdle incorporating the present invention carries a pad conformable to the Sacrum and adjacent vertebrae. Pressure is applied to the pad to maintain it anchored and in firm engagement by a combination of design features.

GIRDLE BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to girdles. The human anatomy is notably weak at the regionof the vertebrae at the lower back. Some attribute this weakness to the fact that the human muscular-skeletal system was designed by nature for the body of a quadruped. In a primate, a vastly increased load is imposed upon this region of the lspine. Whatever the reason, many persons, particularly males, suffer from muscular fatigue.` Some form of pad or support at the lower sacral region has ofcourse been proposed. The problem, however, is to provide a conformable pad or support maintained in position by substantial pressure without requiring cumbersome lacings or closures, and without creating any bulges that would interfere with the proper flt of outer clothing.

I provide a girdle that effectively solves these problems by a combination of design features. The pocket inwhich the conformable pad is contained has its outer side formed of relatively rigid or nonyielding material whereby the pad projects inwardly to provide a normal external contour. The elastic material connected to the sides of the pocket is bias cut so that a component of force is applied to the pad that extends longitudinally of the wearers body. This force tends firmly to seat the pad. The top of the pad terminates at the region of maximum inward spiral curvature. By lowering the top edgeof the girdle at this region, a proper fit is achieved without requiring any complex configuration of the pad itself.

This invention possesses many other advantages and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of one embodiment of the invention. For this purpose, there is shown a form inthe drawings accompanying and forming a part of the present specification, and which drawings are to scale. This form will `now be described in detail, illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that this detailed descriptionis not to be taken in a limiting sense, since the scope of this invention is best defined by the appended claims. t

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a three-quarter'pictoral view of the back of a girdle incorporating the present invention and in place upon the body of the wearer. f

FIG. 2 is a three-quarter front elevational view of the girdle also shown in place on the body of the wearer.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along a plane corresponding to line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along a plane corresponding to line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along a plane corresponding to line 5-5 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a pictorial view of the pad.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The sacroiliac pad 10 shown in FIG. 6 is designed to be placed along the lower spine and sacrum of the body ofthe wearer in order to give suitable muscular support. The pad is accordingly elongated, measuring about 6 or 7 inches long, more or less, and 2% or 3 inches wide, more or less, depending upon the size of the human figure to which the pad is to conform. The pad 10 may be made of relatively rigid conformable material such as high density foam rubber. The foam rubber may be enclosed between outer plies 12 and 14 of fabric adhered to the side surfaces of the foam rubber.

The pad 10 is accommodated in a pocket 16 formed on the inside of the back of a girdle 18. The pocket is formed by two juxtaposed layers or plies and 22 of fabric material. Both layers have a configuration corresponding substantially tothe configuration of the pad. The side and bottom edges of the layers 20 and 22 are sewn together by a U-shaped line of stitching 24 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 5). The line of stitching 24 also serves to attach the pocket layers 20 and 22 to other elements of the girdle, namely, left and right side panels 26 and 28, and

a crotch piece 30. The edges of the panels and plies are turned inwardly so as to provide a suitable finish, and as shown in FIG. 5.

The left and right side panels 26`and 28 extend about the thighs of the wearer to the front of the garment where they are joined to sides of a trapezoidal front panel 32 (FIG. 2). Lines of stitching 34 and 36 attach the side panels 26 and 28 to the sides of the front panel 32 as well as to the upwardly extending part of the crotch piece 30.

The pocket layer 20 transmits circumferential girdling force between the side panels 26 and 28. This is accomplished exclusively of the inner layer 22, the inner layer being made of low-strength, `flexible material such as nylon tricot. The outer layer 20 is made of high-strength met or woven fabric. lt preferably is stretchable in the circumferential direction. The width of the inner layer 22 between the runs of the stitching 24 (FIG. 5) is significantly greater than the corresponding width of the outer stiffer layer 20 to insure imposition of girdling force on the outer layer. The outer layer 20 aligns circumferentially with the side panels 26 and 28, insuring a smooth external configuration free of protuberances that might be visiblethrough outer clothing.

The upper edge 38 of the inner ply is unattached and located beneath the level of the waistline so as to provide an opening for insertion of the pad l0. Obviously, pads of different stiffness or thickness may be inserted as desired.

The side panels 26 and 28 are both stretchable in directions inclined to the girdling direction and as indicated by the ar rows 40 and 42. The cut of the panels 26 and 28 at the edges thus meet the pocket layer 20 on the bias so that when the side panels 26 and 28 are stretched, an upward component of force is imposed upon the outer pocket layer 20. This upward com- `ponent of force tends to seat the pad. To assist proper seating, the waistline of the garment is cut so :as to angle downwardly alongedges 44and 46, as shown in FIG. 1, to a center back region 48 located substantially at the position of maximum inward curvature of the spine.

An` elastic tape 50 is attached along the waistline. The

length of the tape is slightly greater than the length of the waistline. Tabs or strips 52 and 54 are formed beyonda transverse line ofv stitching 56 at the back region 48. The tabs 52 and 54 are folded inwardly and extend diagonally downwardly in `opposite directions as downward continuations of the opposite `tape ends. The ends of the tabs are caught beneath the line of stitching 24 on opposite sides. The tabs 52 and 54 give the effect of crossed bands that force the upper part of the pocket layer 20 firmly to position, thus providing an anchor.

The reinforcing panel 58 with crossed bands 60 and 62 is provided for the front panel of the girdle. The reinforcing panel is formed in a manner described in my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,339,554, issued Sept. 5, 1967, and entitled GIRDLE.

I claim:

1. In a girdle: a pair of body girdling members; means joining the girdling members along the center of the back of the girdle, said. girdling members at the center of the back being symmetrically bias cut to impose a vvertical component of force on the girdle at the center of the back; a vertically extending pocket ply fastened along opposite sides and along its lower edge to the inside of the girdle back along said joining means and cut to a width to avoid its inclusion in thecircumferential transmission of girdling force; and a pad accommodated between the pocket ply andi the girdling members and positioned by said pocket ply at the lumbar-sacral region of the wearers spine.

2,. The girdle as set forth in claim ll in whichsaid joining means comprises a pocket panel made of high-strength material, said body girdling members being joined to opposite sides of said pocket panel.

3 The girdle as set forth in claim 2 in which said pocket panel is stretchable in the girdling direction.

4. The girdleas set forth in claim 1 ini which said girdle has a `top edge that slopesdownwardly along the back to a region designed to be located just above the wearers sacrum.

diagonally downwardly to opposite sides of said pocket panel firmly to anchor the top of said pocket panel.

7. The girdle as set forth in claim 5 together with an elastic band extending along said top edge having ends extending 5 diagonally downwardly to opposite sides of said pocket panel firmly to anchor the top of said pocket panel. 

